Vestal, NY ? The Hartford women's basketball team picked up a road victory at the Binghamton University Events Center over the Bearcats, 71-63, on Wednesday night. Hartford was led by a pair of post players, Danielle Hood and Erica Beverly who both finished in double figures, 14 and 12 points respectively. Hartford improves to 20-5 overall and 10-2 in America East play.
Other leading scorers for Hartford included Jamie McCabe who added 10, Diana Delva who finished with nine, Mary Silvia who scored seven and MaryLynne Schaefer who finished with six. Hartford trailed at the break, 34-27, just the sixth time the Hawks have trailed at the half, and the fourth time they have come back from a halftime deficit to win. Hartford rallied in the second half to outscore the Bearcats 44-29.
The Hawks shot 46.6 percent for the game, 27-of-58, with Hood leading the way, going 6-of-11 from the field. Beverly missed just four of her nine attempts in the game, while Delva (4-of-6) and Silvia (3-of-6) also posted top shooting efforts.
Hartford finished the game with a 39-27 advantage in the rebounding category, the first time in the last four games the Hawks have led in rebounding. All 11 players who saw action finished with at least one rebounds. Leading the team on the boards was Lisa Etienne and Delva who each finished with four, while Beverly and Schaefer added three apiece. Etienne also led the Hawks with five assists in 25 total minutes.
McCabe and Erica Carter combined to score the first 12 points of the game; however Carter led the two with seven points. Hartford opened the game with the first basket, a three from McCabe, but the Bearcats didn't rest coming out of the gates scoring four-straight, for the first lead change of the game.
The lead would change five times in the first 10 minutes, the last two after the teams traded three pointers. The first came from the Hawks Jackie Smith, putting Hartford ahead 16-14 with 10:41 remaining before the break. The Bearcats answered 14 second later when Brianna Thompson spotted up from long range, regaining the Binghamton lead.
The Bearcats would build that lead to seven, 29-22 with 6:09 to play before the intermission. Hartford answered that Binghamton lead by holding them without a basket over the next five minutes, but the Bearcats defense would quell the Hawks efforts, allowing just one basket in that span. Binghamton then scored four of the final five points of the first half, taking a 34-27 advantage into the locker room.
Hartford came out of the halftime break scoring the first five points on a Hood jumper and a Schaefer three pointer. After trading baskets for the next couple of minutes, Hartford would tie the score for the first time in the half on a Hood jumper with 15:10 to play. After the Hawks scored a second-straight basket to go up two, Binghamton answered tying the score at 44 before the Hawks opened their lead with six straight, including back to back jumpers from Silvia.
The Hawks extended their lead back to six three more times over the next three minutes, before going up by eight, the biggest margin by either team in the game, with 4:32 remaining. That lead came after a Delva free throw. The Bearcats would chip into the lead, but get no closer than four on two occasions, the final coming with 44 second remaining.
Hartford held Binghamton scoreless following the Laura Sario jumper with 44 second remaining and sealed the deal after McCabe and Hood connected on their free throw attempts in the final 32 seconds.
The Hawks will not be back in action again until next Wednesday when they travel to Albany for a 7:00 p.m. match-up with the Great Danes. Albany currently stands in sole possession of third place in the America East.
